Study finds gay-straight alliances help students feel safer

High schools with a gay-straight alliance have far fewer incidences of bullying, a Vanderbilt University study recently found. Bullying based on sexual orientation or gender expression is lower — but so are all types of bullying. The research suggests that GSAs make schools a more welcoming, accepting place for all students.

The researchers found that students who attended a school with a GSA were

52 percent less likely to hear homophobic remarks

36 percent less likely to be fearful for their personal safety

30 percent less likely to experience homophobic victimization

“It was interesting to find that the presence of a GSA was associated with lower levels of victimization for all students, without distinguishing between students who did and did not participate in the group,” said Heather Hensman Kettrey, a research associate at Peabody Research Institute.

To read more about the meta-analysis of 15 independent studies which surveyed over 60,000 high schools students, please click here.